Victory at Anfield was a sweet treat for Manchester United’s persuasion, and Sunday’s 2-1 victory over struggling champions Liverpool was their first in almost a decade.
In previous seasons, Kodi Gakpo’s late goal might have seen the visiting team crumble to a late defeat or hold out for a frustrating draw that would have been considered ‘commendable’, but that was not the case this time.
Mr Upp has given renewed encouragement to the previously maligned Harry Maguire, with United’s resurgent centre-back at the center of calls for a call-up to England’s squad for next year’s World Cup. The same goes for my three returning colleagues, Luke Shaw.
Given the turbulent nature of the Old Trafford side, it’s worth remembering that it was only a few weeks ago that both men were under the microscope for their performances in the Manchester derby, causing panic at the sight of Erling Haaland swarming.
These players have grown to such heights and then fallen to such lows, so even a win over the weekend will require composure. These peaks and valleys, these extremes, are not good for anyone.
One man who knows his way around United’s rollercoaster is Paul Pogba, with the Marmite Frenchman defining the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era more than anyone else.
How does Paul Pogba fit into Amorim’s 3-4-3 system?
The story of Pogba’s time at Manchester has been discussed chapter by chapter. He came. he walked away. He’s back again. He won the League Cup and the Europa League, but seemed to be looking to leave every summer after that. And left again in 2022.
Pogba, who is now back in his native Monaco, France, after serving an 18-month ban at Juventus for a doping ban, remains one of United’s most polarizing players in modern times.
The sight of the World Cup winner trudging towards his final outing at Anfield was ironically worthy of his £89m transfer fee, but it didn’t pay off as expected as the noise around him whether he did it or not was frankly disgusting.
It hasn’t gotten enough attention, but when he’s in his element, the fleet-footed midfielder can be quite a threat, memorably scoring four assists in the opening win against Leeds United in August 2021.
Operating mostly as a left-sided midfielder, the maverick playmaker appeared to be relishing the freedom to move forward and attack safely knowing there was plenty of cover behind him.
In that respect, he could have been the perfect number 10 in Ruben Amorim’s current set-up, with the likes of Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha acting as a link between midfield and the front line.
Pushed into a higher tier following the arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjær to replace Jose Mourinho, Pogba was briefly at his best, with the 6ft 3in machine finishing the 2018/19 season with 27 goals and assists in all competitions, according to Transfermarkt. It was his best comeback for United.
The now 32-year-old will forever be a thorn in the side of the Red Devils, perhaps because he was not utilized well at Old Trafford or perhaps unable to play the talismanic role expected of him.
Hopefully, the latest Pogba-type players can become more effective under Amorim.
Manchester United’s new Paul Pogba appointed as Amorim manager
Pogba’s time at United will, understandably, be lost to history before too long. A player who promised so much upon his return in 2016 ended up delivering little.
This is in stark contrast to his former teammate Bruno Fernandes, with the Portuguese truly emerging as a key player in midfield, as evidenced by his record of 100 goals and 87 assists in 299 games for the club.
Unlike the Frenchman, even if moved to a role for which he is unsuited, the United captain is still able to blossom and was influential from deep on Sunday, delivering a crucial assist to Maguire.
The decision to drop Fernandes deeper was to accommodate the likes of Mount and Cunha, the latter of whom was particularly impressive against Arne Slott’s side.
A goal or an assist remains to be expected from the £62.5m Brazilian, but as journalist Sam Pilger pointed out, he already led the charge in the last match and it already appears to be an “incredible signing”.
Described as a “maverick” by former MEN correspondent Samuel Luckhurst, there is something about the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man who has already proven himself to be a strong ball carrier, either on the left or in a central role.
Against the Merseysiders, the 26-year-old completed 100 per cent of his dribbles, according to SofaScore, and picked up two fouls for the team, especially in the closing stages when United needed possession.
Cunha vs Liverpool | |
|---|---|
status | record |
Play time (minutes) | 90+ |
touch | 55 |
dribbling success | 2/2 |
Total number of shots | 2 |
foul win | 2 |
loss of ownership | 14 |
Pass accuracy | 83% |
ground duel | 4/9 |
aerial duel | 1/4 |
Statistics by Sofascore | |
Cunha is not blessed with Pogba’s blistering speed, but he has the ability to evade opponents, as well as the quality to slalom up the pitch.
In fact, among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, he currently ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries and the top 1% for progressive passes, according to FBref. For example, Pogba ranked in the top 19% and top 4% of midfielders in these two metrics respectively during his flourishing 2018/19 season.
Powerful yet poised to match, Cunha appears to boast Pogba’s best attributes, acting as a draw for defenders while also being able to easily manipulate his own space with entertaining turns and dribbles.
But the key difference between him and the Frenchman is that, as Luckhurst pointed out, he is also a “workhorse” and there are simply many aspects of his game that are enjoyable.
He was suspended for four games at Molineux last season, and while he’s not perfect, he’s certainly the new maverick at Old Trafford. Pogba may not have settled into such a position well, but he hopes Cunha’s arrival will be more fruitful.
Early signs are definitely promising.
